Terrapin have a lifespan of about 20 years i guess? So my two darlings at home still have got many many more years to go! :D
Well well, many people usually keep those cute and furry animals like hamster, rabbit, dogs, cats and etc as pets. But for me, i've got 2 wonderful terrapins at home. This whole terrapin-as-pet thing started out 7 years ago when i was primary 5. My english teacher told us to bring our pets to school for this particular chapter. I didn't have one and you know... when you see people bringing their pets to school, you would naturally want to own + bring one too! I think year 2002 was the terrapin trend that is why everyone started to buy them as pet. Tada, monkey see monkey do! And i got my very first pet.
I bought 2 terrapin from the nearby pet shop and named them teacup and teapot. But, these 2 terrapin didn't live long.. A fall from the stairs caused the death of one of my terrapin. I cried non stop like a baby until that terrapin's last breathe.. Place it inside the bobby dog cigarette look alike box and buried it. Then next day, the other one died suddenly too. Told my grandma and she told me to throw it into the drain so that it will float back to its home (sea)
HAHAHA, i actually believed. naive~A few days later, i decided to get another terrapin again! Went to the pet shop and made a selection from a big pail with 20+ over terrapin. The lucky terrapin i've chosen was SUPER DUPER active! Haha. The terrapin was placed in a oxygenated plastic bag with a lil water in it. I didn't have time to take it out and put it into a proper tank when i got home the other day. So.. i placed the whole bag on the table, went to the toilet and when i came out, i was so shocked to see the bag on the floor but the funny thing is that the whole bag was actually moving! This super duper active terrapin is TT :) [He was named TT because sis and i wanted to like remember the 2 previous terrapin]
Another few days later, my sister decided to find a partner for TT and that is how i ended with Bubbles! Bubbles is a different breed from the typical terrapins you see in pet shops. According to my sister, she was the only special looking terrapin left in the tank and my grandma was the one who chose it.
I think my terrapins cannot be released into the wild anymore because i really really believe that they're now DOMESTIC pets. Haha. We actually allow the terrapin to walk around the house so that they won't feel caged up. They know their way around and they even know how to get back "home" (where their containers are)
Evidence on why they cannot be released to the wild. I still remember one fine day. I read up the internet that it is good to actually allow terrapin to go back to their wild side (?) So, i bought longkang (drain) fish and threw a few into their tank so that they can "hunt" for their own food. After like 1 hour, went back to their container, the fish was still alive and swimming and, both my terrapin gave up "hunting" and gave up returning/going back to their wild side. SEE, domestic liaozxzxzxzx
Let's talk about TT. I think TT recognises his name? Because whenever we call him, he will actually react to it. And i've noticed, he is actually quite attracted to people's feet because he will start smelling it when he's near one. He likes to follow people around the house and he's SUPER afraid of my dad (because he fking torture him la.... my dad actually use a pail and cover it over him for hours! Use a small rubber ball to scare him! And he's always the one who feed rubbish (cakes.. cream bread.. crackers??!) to both my terrapin) And, sis and i can pat his head too! :D Oh did i mention, he actually likes taking picture (Y)
Human experience bad dreams. So does animals (i think) There's this particular night when my sis/i went to check on the 2 darlings. TT was actually biting his arms while he's asleep. We had to wake him up and try to pull his hands out. I think he's either having bad dreams or his biting his thumb like how human do :D
Bubbles. Bubbles is more to the lazy and quiet side. She's always at the same old corner of the toilet whenever she's out. The only time you'll see her is when you turn on the shower.. where she'll walk REALLY slowly all the way under the shower and stay there. OR when you start filling her container with water because she knows that there'll be food. & She don't really like camera because she'll start avoiding and running whenever she sees one. Haha. OH, she's a mum too :) Yes, bubbles actually lay eggs! Approximately once or twice a year. However, none of the egg hatch because we didn't know how to look after it.
This reminds of something. When bubbles was young, i used to put her into a typical red toilet pail that is filled to its brim so that she can swim. And this is when i realised that she actually hates red. She'll start biting her hand when she's in the pail to show me how much she don't like red. Haha
Both my terrapins have tried food which i believe no other owner will actually feed their pet terrapin with. It ranges from biscuits to cakes to vegetables to fruits to dried food to seafood (fish & abalone) to raw meat to cooked meat and to proper terrapin food :D But i've stopped giving them all the rubbish in case their cholesterol hits 2245262456 and stick to proper terrapin food + dried shrimps & raw meat once in a blue moon.
My terrapin HATES vegetables. They rather starve to death than to take a bite :/There were bad times too. Times where i cried and shed tears for the both of them.. I still remember the very first time bubbles' back leg bled. I cried and cried and cried because the the wound wouldn't stop bleeding. I even resorted to using green grass oil (you now the dark yellowish chinese medicated oil for cuts?) and using a plaster would be a lil crazy so i used cotton wool and scotch tape instead. Another major injury was the one TT had. I have no idea what he did in his tank that made his middle fingernails drop! He bled none stop but recovered :) So he had to be on this floor mat in an enclosed area for a few days so that his wound will recover. (Y) And there's a couple of times when i actually thought of bringing them to the vet to get a full body check up.
But it's expensive, so i didn't la :D~ I hate it when they get sick. It's so scary.
I'm not sure but according to my sister. TT has a fan club with 3 fans? LOL
I Love my pet! & who says terrapin are slow and not cute? Hahaha
The End :)
